I'm baaaack!

Dear family and friends,



Thank you so much  for all of the support you have given me and John while I've been on hiatus at Club Med, aka the hospital.  Your thoughts, prayers, good vibes and emanating love have sustained me and lifted me up during dark times when it all seemed futile.   And, so now here I am, fever free at the moment and able to actually focus on a few thoughts.



First, a shout out to my ghost writers!  THANK YOU!



I recently came across a poem I wrote in the '80s which actually seems more relevant in the present time.  It will never appear in an anthology, but it accurately describes my state of mind.

The Butterfly Dance

An old woman who looks like me

Is dancing the butterfly dance.

Flutter by, butterfly.

One of the great pleasures of my life is watching the elegant butterfly soar, glide, dip and dive among the coneflowers and black-eyed Susans, stopping to rest long enough to be oohed and aahed over. I feel compelled to offer encouragement as I think about the hard work that lies ahead for this wonder of nature. Safe journey, Bella! – shouldn't butterflies have names, too? – I hope to see your child next year!

Whimsy? Not entirely. There is a lot of similarity between the chronically ill human and the dancing butterfly. There are times, between fevers, when I must remind myself how important it is to restore my mind, body, and spirit so I am able to reach my destination (whatever that may be) knowing I twirled and whirled at least as hard as my hero, Ms. Bella Butterfly.